Page 4 of Evading Darkness

I used to sneak out to meet him in the field behind our houses after my father locked himself in his office to work. We wouldstay up all night talking and daydreaming about what our lives would be like together.

He was my first everything. My first kiss, boyfriend, partner. I lost my virginity to him, and I always thought he would be my forever. We planned on going to college, traveling, getting married, and having the sweetest little family, topped off with a big fluffy dog named Ralph. We made so many plans that we never got to live out because my father took him from me.

We planned on leaving to start our forever the day before I turned 18. I was supposed to marry Damien the next day, and we thought everyone would be too busy with the wedding plans to notice us running about. My mom was going to help us sneak past the guard. She understood what my father was taking away from me and always wanted me to be happy, no matter what path of life I chose. I'm not sure I would have known what real love was if it hadn't been for her. Somebody must have overheard us making our plans.

After we made it through the back gate and to the path next to the road where Maxton's car was parked, my father stepped out from behind the trees, aiming a gun at Maxton's head. I tried to tell him not to hurt him. I begged him and told him over and over that I was so sorry. I told him I would come back and marry Damien if he let Maxton go. Nobody would ever know we tried to leave. The sick fucker looked at me, grinned, and said, “I don’t need your apologies or promises because you will do what I say regardless of what happens to your little boyfriend.”

My mother stepped between Maxtonand the gun to try to reason with my father, but it only took a moment for him to lose control and pull the trigger. The loud bang made my ears ring, and when I looked at her, I saw blood pouring from her chest as she dropped to the ground in front of me.

Something flashed in my father's eyes when he realized he let his anger take over him, and his wife was lying there unmoving in front of him. I took advantage of the brief moment of weakness and tried to pull Maxton out of the way towards his car. We only made it a few steps before I heard another ear-piercing shot and felt his hand leave mine. I knew I had just lost my entire world in a matter of minutes.

I looked over my shoulder and saw him lying there. I wanted to fall down and pull him into me to hold him and reassure him that he wasn't alone, but I had to keep moving. He would’ve wanted me to get away. After everything, I couldn't let my father drag me back and force me to marry Damien.

My mother's kindness was gone. I would’ve been left with those two evil men. There was no way I would survive them, so I ran. I ran as fast as I could to the car, ripped the door open, shoved the backpack off my back, and floored it.

Thankfully, Maxton was smart enough to leave the keys in the ignition in case we needed a quick getaway. My father took another three shots at the car as I sped away, but they didn't hit anything important. I stayed up driving all night until I ran out of gas and ditched the car because I knew they would be looking for it. The next day, I spent my birthday curled up in an alleyin some random city by myself, mourning the deaths of both my mother and boyfriend. Birthdays have never been the same since.

I shake the memory of the worst day of my life from my mind and glance back over at Julian. He wants to make my birthday memorable. I won’t allow myself to be upset. He worked so hard to make tonight perfect, and I refuse to allow my haunting past to ruin this for us.

"Julian, what is all this?" I ask him. He doesn't answer me. We wander closer to the setup, and I am able to make out the words on the sign: Marry Me? I freeze. My legs begin to feel heavy, and I bring my right hand to my mouth in an attempt to cover my shocked expression. Julian steps in front of me, and I bring my gaze up to his eyes.

"Callie, you are the most important person in the world to me. You know that, right?" I slowly nod. He reaches out his hand, prompting me to place mine in his, and as if we’re in the scene of a movie, he drops to one knee and looks up at me with the most adoring eyes.

"Spending the last 11 months with you has been a dream. The way you make me feel, I've never felt about anyone in my life. I know there are still some things that you aren't ready to talk about, and that is okay. I will be here for you with open arms when you’re ready to share that part of your life with me."

"Julian, I.."

"No, please let me finish," he tells me, so I nod, and he continues.

"Iwant you to be the first person I see when I wake up and the last person I see before I go to sleep. I want your good days and your bad days and for us to have a family and grow old together. I never want to spend a day thinking about what life would be like without you because I am so in love with you, my sweet girl."

I gasp as he pulls a small box out of his pocket, opening it up to reveal the most beautiful white gold ring. The band has a row of small stones stretching across one large round stone in the middle. It has to be the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.

"Callie, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes!" I squeal, jumping up and down. He stands up, and I jump right into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and peppering him with kisses all over his face. After a few minutes, he pulls away from me long enough to speak.

"We can do this here if you want, but I would prefer if you let me take you home so I can show my new fiancé just how much I love her," he says with a wink.

"Oh, now you're talking." I grin as I slide off of him and slap his backside before taking off in an almost sprint to get to the car. The faster we get there, the faster I get my hands on this man.

Chapter 3

Callie

The drive back to the house feels like an eternity. Who knew a 10-minute drive could feel like 10 years? Fiancée?! Are you kidding me? I look over at him and just take him in. The moonlight makes his eyes shimmer a perfect shade of green, and don't even get me started on his lips. His usually defined jaw is currently covered in stubble, which he lets grow out because he knows how much I love the feel of it between my legs.

He catches me staring at him, and his mouth curves up in a mischievous grin. "Like what you see?"

Before I can answer, he brings his hand over and places it on my thigh. I glance down to see his firm grip just above my knee. One touch from him right now is enough to ignite my entire body. I feel my cheeks flush as I recall exactly what that hand is capable of doing. My heart begins to race in my chest with a frantic need for him. I pull my legs together to try to ease some of the ache pulsing down to my core, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

Julian keeps his eyes on the road as he slowly inches his hand further up my thigh until he reaches the hem of my dress and slides under it. My breathing changes tosmall, quick, shallow breaths as his hand reaches the spot I’ve been yearning for him to touch. He swipes across the front of me, finding my panties soaked through with arousal.

"Someone has been having some dirty thoughts," he says.

The only response I can articulate is a cross between a low hum and a soft moan. He grabs the front of my panties, pulls them to the side, and runs a finger through the wetness. Then he slowly drags his finger up to my clit, rubbing small circles that send shocks of electricity through my body.

My head falls back on the seat as I moan his name, "Julian." My hips raise, craving more, as he dips back down to my entrance to gather more wetness and continue to tease me. "I need more," I tell him, and he chuckles before pulling away from me and placing my panties back in place. Letting out a frustrated grunt, I look over at him to glare and watch as he brings the finger he was just teasing me with up to his mouth to suck it clean. "Fuckkk!" I groan.

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